Dr. Jamal Nasir, the Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare, has issued a harsh warning to anyone stockpiling medications, stressing that the government has launched a mobile phone application aimed to help detect shortages swiftly and put an end to pharmaceutical hoarding.
He went on to explain during a meeting of the Provincial Drugs Quality Control Board on Monday that this mobile application will not only provide real-time data on medication availability but will also help to identify those who are illicitly stockpiling and selling medicines at inflated prices in order to create an artificial shortage of those medications.
The ‘Drug Shortage Report’ app is available for download from the Google Play Store. According to the minister, you can notify the government using this app of any instances of drug shortages, unavailability, or exorbitant price in the market.
The app also allows you to report shortages to drug inspectors immediately and track complaints with a tracking ID.
Dr. Nasir made the point that it is unethical for people to make money illegally by selling medications at exorbitant costs.
In addition, Dr. Nasir gave instructions to officials to make sure that the parameters and standards at the pharmacies are strictly followed. He emphasised the importance of strictly adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs), such as those that address temperature, lighting, and cleanliness, in order to ensure the quality of the medications at these establishments and pharmacies.
He issued a warning that anyone operating a medical store without a licence must do it right away or face the consequences.
The drug inspector in charge would be held accountable if an unlicensed medical store is found operating, the minister emphasised.